ARI (Acute Respiratory Infection) screening model in Manizales, based on Geographic Information Systems

Acute respiratory infection (ARI) accounts for about 3.5 million deaths yearly, around the world, most of which are in children ages 0 to 5. This disease affects not only undeveloped countries, but the industrialized countries as well. There are many environmental factors that contribute to the development of ARI, besides other diseases that attack the respiratory system; therefore it is necessary to use every actual and effective tool to counterattack the situation. Geographic information systems (GIS), as collecting, scaling, locating and data analysis tools, offer an alternative to improve in prevention and promotion of ARI. Clear examples are cited here, showing the application of these tools to medicine, and general public health with the proposed research application for the city of Manizales. Some of the benefits of the implementation of this remedial and preventing actions are the sectoring of the city, based on the pollution levels and the number of people exposed, besides data related to their physical and social state.